The United States Attorneys Office

District of Massachusetts

BOSTON, MA - A Paxton woman was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury in connection with student financial aid fraud, passport fraud and use of a false identity.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Brian Hickey, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General; John Grasso, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Office of the Inspector General, Social Security Administration, Office of Investigations - Boston Field Division; and James P. Ennis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, announced that CLARA P. ANDRADE-PALMER, a/k/a CLARA ANDRADE, a/k/a PAMELA A. PALMER (ANDRADE-PALMER), age 41 of Paxton, Massachusetts, was indicted on four counts of student financial aid fraud, passport fraud, and use of a false identity.

According to the Indictment it is alleged that: beginning in or about July of 2003 and continuing until October of 2005, ANDRADE-PALMER willfully and knowing obtained by fraud and false statements federal higher education loans totaling approximately $34,367.75; on about March 29, 2005, ANDRADE-PALMER willfully and knowing made false statements in an application for U.S. passport; on or about October 25, 2005, ANDRADE-PALMER used a false identity to obtain student financial aid; and on or about March 29, 2005, ANDRADE-PALMER used a false identity to obtain a U.S. passport.

A detention hearing and arraignment is scheduled for February 22, 2010, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Leo T. Sorokin.

If convicted, ANDRADE-PALMER faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison on counts one, three and four, a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on count two, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. ANDRADE-PALMER also faces a $20,000 fine on count one, and a $250,000 fine on counts two, three and four.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Financial Litigation Unit; the U.S. Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations; the U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; and the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antoinette E.M. Leoney in Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the Indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.